The White House finally bet solar panels

Three weeks after the expedition "solar" environmentalist Bill McKibben is crashing the gate of the White House, Barack Obama has decided to swerve to the energy policy of the presidential mansion and has agreed to install new thermal and photovoltaic panels.
The recently announced Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who has urged Americans to follow suit and opt for renewable energy. The solar industry has launched the house through the window and the 350.org campaign, which on Sunday summoned the global day of action against climate change, has finally entered the "solar commitment" of the White House.
The panels, which will be installed next spring, mostly have a high symbolic value. In 1979, ahead of time, then-President Jimmy Carter decided to install the first thermal plate in the west wing roof to provide hot water. Two years later, completing the revenge of the "lobby" of fossil fuels, Ronald Reagan decided to withdraw unceremoniously and the White House with solar Panel.

White House with solar Panel

In the sly, President Bush pioneered the use of geothermal energy in their Texas ranch returned to install a small thermal panels to heat the pool water and other units of the presidential mansion. What Obama is now trying to achieve even energy supply to the monthly bill, to be determined and the White House with solar Panel..

It is unknown what might have brought about the sudden change in the White House, beyond the exit of the cabinet chief Rahm Emanuel. The fact is that the issue of McKibben and 350.org, which was loaded with an old panel of Jimmy Carter, had to turn around in September with the mission unfulfilled and the White House with solar Panel.

Solar Energy
"We could have said we had an excellent exchange of ideas and ensure that the Administration has taken seriously our request," McKibben wrote then. "But that would have been lying."
Three weeks later, and after weighing whether or not to recall at this point to Jimmy Carter, the White House announces rectified and solar conversion and the White House with solar Panel.. Is not known how he may have the final decision on Michelle Obama, who masterminded the famous garden in the presidential mansion, which the irrigation system can be activated by next spring, thanks to solar future

The global crisis of rivers

The rivers which distribute 80% of the water consumed worldwide are seriously threatened. In other words, the water we drink 5,000 million people could leave soon be unfit for human consumption. The figures emerge from the first large-scale study of the quality of all rivers on the planet and the crisis of river.. Until now, scientists and politicians who must make decisions affecting the river channels had only a patchwork of local studies that complicated the work in multinational rivers. More than 250 rivers around the globe crossing national borders and the crisis of river..
The research, conducted by researchers at The City College of City University of New York and the University of Michigan (USA) and published in the journal Nature, analyzed the main factors that compromise environmental quality of water sweet globally. Among them include agricultural waste, chemical pollution and invasive species, but the study has considered the effect of 23 different agents, and the crisis of river. such as dams or loss of wetlands and the crisis of river.

Global crisis of rivers

According to the researchers, these agents do not only threaten the quality of rivers and human health, but threaten to 65% of river habitats in the world. "We can not independently studying the safety of human consumption and ecosystem health independently," said Charles J. Vörösmarty, director of City College and author of the study and the crisis of river.. "We need to unite both. The tool we have created allows them to play on the same field."
The authors acknowledge that the results are "conservative" because they do not have enough information on other factors such as pharmaceuticals and mining waste and the crisis of river..

Amazonas river crisis

But despite this, have been set continental maps detailing the levels of stress supported by each channel, regardless of boundaries it crosses and the crisis of river..
However, not all rivers behave similarly. Explains the professor of the University of Maryland Margaret A. Palmer in an analysis accompanying the research, the Nile, for example, has more upstream pressure, but its effects on the population increase as the flow decreases and the crisis of river.. The Nile provides water to more than 180 million people.

Eucalyptus: the key to future energy

Efficiency and low consumption of water and nutrients, as well as high rates of growth and CO2 fixation are the best species of eucalyptus growing biomass for energy purposes.This is clear from the research for a decade has developed the R & D Forestry Ence Group in Huelva, which has been analyzing various herbaceous and woody biomass to grow and clean energy.
As reported by the group, the first results show that "by far", there are several species of eucalyptus by the most efficient fix more atmospheric CO2 in biomass because of its higher growth, higher calorific value and less need water and fertilizer, compared to other species such as thistle, willow or paulownia biomass energy.

Biomass Energy

The main environmental benefits of eucalyptus, as shown restraint in their consumption of resources, give clear comparative benefits compared to agricultural crops with fertilizer and water demands much higher.
In the European context and biomass energy.

This makes the tree species in a choice "unbeatable," said Ence, traditional farming areas where reform of the CAP are compromising their future profitability and viability.Another factor that strengthens the energy crop as an alternative to agricultural abandonment is the target set by Europe in the development of renewable energy.The EU stands at a 20% share of production of this type of energy in 2020, bringing to biomass as a replacement for certain crops suitable for low competitiveness.

Clean energy: Eucaliptus and biomass

Ence, which leads in Spain to develop this type of energy, already in Huelva with more than 8,000 hectares of energy crops.
Ence forest plans also include the conversion of indigenous forest in those areas occupied by eucalyptus wood by low productivity and high environmental sensitivity as required and biomass energy..